Gunmen kill one, kidnap nursing mother, 16 other family members

Suspected bandits killed one person, and abducted a nursing mother, an infant and 15 other family members at Udawa village, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

PREMIUM TIMES’ findings revealed that the incident occurred around 7 a.m. on Saturday at Gonar Lema.

Those abducted were all members of the same family and were on their way to the farm when the bandits attacked them.

Three members of the family who sustained injuries – Blessing Yakubu, Omega Yakubu and Baby Yakubu – and the head of the family, Yakubu Gurmi, were rushed to hospital for treatment.

The head of the family Mr Yakubu, popularly called Yakubu Jakuta, is being attended to at Birnin Gwari hospital for the gun shots sustained on his two legs, while the three others were initially taken to Kaduna hospital for scanning but were later moved to Birnin Gwari General hospital on Sunday evening.

A community leader in the area, Muhammad Hussaini, who confirmed the incident, said one of the injured victims died in the early hours of Monday.

“They were attacked at a place called Gonar Lema a few kilometres from Udawa town. They were on motorcycles going to their farms.

“The bandits then abducted 17‎ other members of the family‎ including a nursing mother, Abigail, with her infant.

“But the head of the family Mr Yakubu was shot on his two legs and three others sustained injuries. But, sadly, one of them died this Monday morning,” he said

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He said the deceased was shot on his mouth by the bandits during the attack‎.‎ He explained that the corpse will be conveyed from Birnin Gwari to Udawa for burial.

The bandits are yet to contact the family for ransom.

The Kaduna State Commissioner Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, could not be reached on Monday as his phone was switched off and a text message sent to him was not replied.

Similarly, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations officer, Mohammed Jalige, did not pick his call.

Chikun is one of the local governments battling with bandits’ activities in Kaduna State. Many residents have been killed and abducted in many communities bordering Birnin-Gwari LGA of the state.

Recently five students and their teacher, Christiana Madugu, were abducted by gunmen at their school, prince Academy, located at Damba-Kasaya, in the same Chikun local government.

Their abductors have demanded for over N20 million ransom. The students and teacher are yet to be released.